Ohio University's Aquatic Center will play host to a fundraiser Sunday that raises money and awareness about a disease that affects 18 million people nationwide.
The Central Ohio Diabetes Association's annual Swim for Diabetes has been hosted every February since 1975, and it is entering its 31st year of fundraising for diabetes, the disease that affects the body's ability to produce or respond to insulin.
The event raised a total of $194,000 last year, said Charles Farmer, public relations manager for the association.
We choose to hold the event in Athens because the community and Ohio University students have been very supportive of our organization
Farmer said.
Money raised by the Swim for Diabetes event is used to fund various direct services for the nearly 200,000 central Ohio residents with diabetes, including testing, counseling and children's camps, he said.
Many of these services would be very expensive without donations and fundraisers he said. Money raised through events like Swim for Diabetes helps subsidize the cost.
People participating in the fundraiser Sunday have pledged to swim a certain number of laps, according to the amount of money they've raised, he said, adding that anyone can still sign up on the association's Web site, www.diabetesohio.org, or register at the door.
The event is especially important because of the large increase in diabetes cases in recent years, Farmer said, adding that the association is focusing on education and early detection because cases of diabetes in young people are rising.
The Central Ohio Diabetes Association focuses on providing direct services for diabetes sufferers, rather than research, he said.
Fundraisers are often focused on 'finding a cure ' he said. But our organization helps people who have diabetes to cope with it.
-Ashley Herzog
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Ashley Herzog
